Italy pleads to EU for help with migrants, threatens to close ports

[webfact]

Italy pleads to EU for help with migrants, threatens to close ports

By Steve Scherer and Gabriela Baczynska

 

ROME/BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Italy on Wednesday appealed to the European Union for help in taking in African migrants, even raising the possibility of closing its ports to humanitarian rescue ships to pressure EU partners, sources familiar with the matter said.

 

Rome's EU ambassador, Maurizio Massari, met EU Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos and told him that "the situation we are facing is serious and Europe cannot turn its back", an Italian government source said.

 

"The idea of blocking humanitarian ships flying foreign flags from returning to Italian ports has been discussed," another Italian government source told Reuters.

 

That may force EU partners to take them instead because many of the charities that operate rescue ships are based in other EU countries, including Malta and Germany, the source said.

 

"Italy has reached saturation point," he said, adding that Rome had planned for 200,000 beds for asylum-seekers and those were almost all taken.

 

Italy has brought in over half a million boat migrants since 2014, and a record 181,000 came last year. This year arrivals are up about 14 percent on the same period last year to 75,000.

 

Italy is the main point of arrival for mostly African migrants to European shores this year, and more boats are sent out almost daily. All of those rescued off the coast of Libya are brought to Italy, often by private charities.

 

Meanwhile, Italy's neighbours have closed their borders to try to keep migrants from moving north as they did in the past, and some EU partners such as Poland and Hungary have refused to host some asylum-seekers to ease the burden on Italy and Greece, another frontline country.

 

MIGRANT ISSUE SWAYS ELECTIONS

 

At the weekend, voters punished Italy's ruling Democratic Party in local elections, opting instead for centre-right rivals led by the anti-immigrant Northern League and four-time former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who want Italy to take a tougher stance on migration.

 

While EU members have been at loggerheads for two years now about moving asylum-seekers from Italy and Greece, the bloc's 28 leaders agreed last week the two southern states should get more help to manage arrivals.

 

The bloc's executive European Commission will give more emergency funding to Italy and wants EU states to put up more money to assist African countries, an EU official said, hoping that better conditions at home will keep people from leaving.

 

At a meeting in Tallin next week, EU migration ministers will discuss Rome's request to have EU peers let some of the boats arriving with migrants disembark in their ports, the official said.

 

Since Saturday, some 11,000 migrants have been pulled from unsafe and overcrowded boats, but overall numbers for the month of June are in line with last year and the year before, according to Flavio Di Giacomo, spokesman for the International Organization for Migration in Rome.

 

"The number of June arrivals is normal. They are high, but they should not be worrying," Di Giacomo said.

 

An Italian navy boat brought about 700 migrants to the Sicilian port of Pozzallo on Wednesday, including an infant boy who was born on a migrant boat but who died from respiratory problems after he and his mother were rescued, port doctor Angelo Gugliotta said.

 

Because of the summer heat, some migrants dove off the ship into the water when it arrived in port. Several were carried off on stretchers, including one severely malnourished man, and injuries included gunshot wounds, the doctor said.

 

"This has been going on for years and it is increasingly dramatic," Gugliotta said.

 

(Reporting by Steve Scherer; editing by Mark Heinrich)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-06-29

[i claudius]

If we think its bad now wait 10 years when millions more of them are on our shores the west is doomed to become just like their shit countrys are

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[boomerangutang]

Italian authorities have a valid point.  Italy, along with Greece and a few other countries, are geographically situated at the gateways to Europe.  

 

Overpopulation and lack of resources in Dune Countries = desperate people risking all, to get to Europe. 

 

Europe in general, and the countries which form its southern region in particular, are going to have to adopt more of an exclusionary posture.  The alternative is its current open-arms policy, which will debilitate whatever good qualities Europe has.

 

You'll notice migrants don't try going to places like Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, China, India, Iran, Nigeria, Russia or Kazakstan. Migrants know the cushiest places to go, even risking death at sea to get there. It's also the non-Muslim places that Muslims want to go to.  Go figure.  Muslims are voting with their feet, saying (among other things) that Sharia Law places are to be avoided.

[darksidedog]

There has been lots of rhetoric from the EU about everyone taking their fair share, but in reality it isn't happening. Germany and Sweden are to be applauded, but many others are very reluctant to do their bit. Meanwhile Italy and Greece are taking an unfair load. Given Greeces financial problems, housing tens, if not hundreds of thousands is a burden it should not have to take unaided.

[boomerangutang]

                                 Perhaps this is an issue for the 22nd century, but runaway baby-making is as much a problem as any other factor.  I read a report about young women in Syria.  About 90% of everything they said (about their dire situations) revolved around babies.  Such things as; finding a husband, keeping a husband around, making babies, taking care of babies, worrying about babies, etc etc ad nauseum.  Some of the women interviewed already had several babies and they weren't yet in their mid-twenties.   Not long ago, the average Palestinian woman popped out 9 babies - though it's a lesser # now - still untenable for a place that's a decades-long war zone.

 

                                There needs to be a sea change in perspectives.  Our species has millions of years of precedence which compels us to make babies - as many as possible, in some primitive cultures.  Women in particular and men in general aren't going to adapt to an overpopulated planet by making sound decision to make less babies.   So, the next step is to compel them to stop making so many babies.  For starters, condoms should be available for free everywhere.   Secondly, men and women should have access to free surgical tube-tying.   It should be their own decision, not forced, coupled with counseling. 

 

 

 

 

[Epidemiologist Dave]

4 hours ago, i claudius said:

If we think its bad now wait 10 years when millions more of them are on our shores the west is doomed to become just like their shit countrys are

Sent from my SM-A720F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

Another good reason for a tough Brexit.The UK is in the lifeboat. Get away from the sinking ship asap.

[ddavidovsky]

The population of Africa is skyrocketing. No one has foreseen it yet, but the world's next big conflict will be when they surge north en masse and try to displace the Arabs. The Arabs should be thankful there's a desert in the way, but I doubt that will stop them. Europe should be thankful there is a sea in the way.

[aonangkrabi]

The so called rescuers facilitate the smugglers/traffickers who just send their dinghies to just beyond the 12 mile zone of Libya. Without these "humanitarian rescuers" there would not be the flood of poor Africans to Europe. In fact these rescuers are smugglers/traffickers too and they should be jailed and their ships must be confiscated.

[petermik]

Mrs Merkel will happily accommodate them

[the guest]

5 hours ago, darksidedog said:

There has been lots of rhetoric from the EU about everyone taking their fair share, but in reality it isn't happening. Germany and Sweden are to be applauded, but many others are very reluctant to do their bit. Meanwhile Italy and Greece are taking an unfair load. Given Greeces financial problems, housing tens, if not hundreds of thousands is a burden it should not have to take unaided.

 

Really applauded, at the expense of the rest of the population? Sweden i know is in crisis, a small country that can't afford to even house it's own people, let alone others. With only 9.5 million now 10 million population, it will break the country. Then there is the increase in crime statistics and the no-go areas. You can stuff that fair share policy right up when the sun don't shine. Thailand in many cases is right, look after you own !

 

 

 

 

[RobFord]

                                 Perhaps this is an issue for the 22nd century, but runaway baby-making is as much a problem as any other factor.  I read a report about young women in Syria.  About 90% of everything they said (about their dire situations) revolved around babies.  Such things as; finding a husband, keeping a husband around, making babies, taking care of babies, worrying about babies, etc etc ad nauseum.  Some of the women interviewed already had several babies and they weren't yet in their mid-twenties.   Not long ago, the average Palestinian woman popped out 9 babies - though it's a lesser # now - still untenable for a place that's a decades-long war zone.
 
                                There needs to be a sea change in perspectives.  Our species has millions of years of precedence which compels us to make babies - as many as possible, in some primitive cultures.  Women in particular and men in general aren't going to adapt to an overpopulated planet by making sound decision to make less babies.   So, the next step is to compel them to stop making so many babies.  For starters, condoms should be available for free everywhere.   Secondly, men and women should have access to free surgical tube-tying.   It should be their own decision, not forced, coupled with counseling. 
 
 
 
 

It can be a strategy. In Quebec it was called the revenge of the cradle. Same as in Palestine.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Revanche_des_berceaux



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[Baerboxer]

6 hours ago, darksidedog said:

There has been lots of rhetoric from the EU about everyone taking their fair share, but in reality it isn't happening. Germany and Sweden are to be applauded, but many others are very reluctant to do their bit. Meanwhile Italy and Greece are taking an unfair load. Given Greeces financial problems, housing tens, if not hundreds of thousands is a burden it should not have to take unaided.

 

Why should country's that don't want to accept illegal economic migrants be forced to accept them because some countries don't enforce their own immigration laws?

 

Did it ever occur to you the more that are accepted, after paying traffickers and attempting to become criminals by illegally entering countries, the more will be encouraged to come?

 

The answer might  be to secure the borders against illegal immigrants and deport illegal immigrants who are there.

 

 

[Baerboxer]

1 hour ago, petermik said:

Mrs Merkel will happily accommodate them

 

No, Mrs Merkel will happily instruct others that they must accommodate them and arrange EU punishments for any who dare defy her.

[khunken]

Actually it's not Italy's borders that need to be secured - it's Libya's. Ever since the NATO liars destroyed Libya (removed the cork from the African bottle) & assisted in the killing of Ghaddafi, it's been an open coastline for both genuine refugees and economic immigrants. A trafficer's paradise.

The EU should be working with both the 'official' and unofficial leaders of the various factions in Libya to have the people picked up outside Libyan waters returned to Libya. Of course the 3 main culprits (US, UK & France) of the disastrous destruction of the Libyan state are doing little or nothing to help (hindering mostly) Italy or the boat people, the latter mostly being assisted by NGOs who have to offload the rescued ones somewhere, usually Italy.

The EU mostly stopped the stream into Greece by coming to a 'sort of' agreement with unpopular Turkey. It's about time they did the same with the Libyan factions.

[Sydebolle]

Let the Italians close the ports - this will deal with the problem. 

Look what happened when Thailand turned away the first boats loaded with "Rohinga refugees"? No boat ever came again - they sail elsewhere or not at all 

[ddavidovsky]

Went to Italy on holiday and was amazed to see all the blacks, even in small out of the way places in the Veneto. It was surreal... lovely Italian rural villages with groups of black guys hanging around on street corners,  black women pushing prams... I guess they are there in perpetuity now...

Beautiful place to live. Perhaps I should wish I had been born Somalian...

[Enzian]

Europe needs to take a clue from Australia, which as I understand it has succeeded in just not letting in the ones in its neighborhood. I spend a lot of time in Italy and what this situation is doing to a beautiful country is not pretty.

[Stargeezr]

Italy and the rest of Europe have to get their act together and send these refugees back home to the countries they are from.  Europe does not need any more refugees.  Italy and Greece do not need any more unemployable people who have got learn their languages before they can work either. Having immigrants who have worked hard, to legally go to Europe is enough strain on that country.  The EU better get their collective heads out of the sand and start helping out Europe.

Geeze

[Scott]

Off-topic post removed.   The topic is about Italy.

[Orton Rd]

Parts of Rome look like African slums, buildings covered in Graffiti and rubbish all over the place, gangs of Africans hanging around doing nothing but collecting benefits,  horrible future for Italy, it's being destroyed.

Edited June 30, 2017 by Orton Rd

[Caps]

What an awesome idea...close the ports then maybe they will start to get towed back to North African coast and not to the EU.

[Mosha]

Italy and the rest of Europe have to get their act together and send these refugees back home to the countries they are from.  Europe does not need any more refugees.  Italy and Greece do not need any more unemployable people who have got learn their languages before they can work either. Having immigrants who have worked hard, to legally go to Europe is enough strain on that country.  The EU better get their collective heads out of the sand and start helping out Europe.
Geeze

Just drop them back on the coast they left, where other would be immigrants are watching. See how quick the traffickers lose customers.

Sent from my iris 505 using Tapatalk

[Jack100]

Understand Tony Balir has a few homes dotted about Italy and other places - I'm sure he doesn't need them all and could take a few in . Also sure that Cherie would be a great host dishing out the cous cous  and Chianti

[nauseus]

On 6/29/2017 at 3:35 PM, khunken said:

Actually it's not Italy's borders that need to be secured - it's Libya's. Ever since the NATO liars destroyed Libya (removed the cork from the African bottle) & assisted in the killing of Ghaddafi, it's been an open coastline for both genuine refugees and economic immigrants. A trafficer's paradise.

The EU should be working with both the 'official' and unofficial leaders of the various factions in Libya to have the people picked up outside Libyan waters returned to Libya. Of course the 3 main culprits (US, UK & France) of the disastrous destruction of the Libyan state are doing little or nothing to help (hindering mostly) Italy or the boat people, the latter mostly being assisted by NGOs who have to offload the rescued ones somewhere, usually Italy.

The EU mostly stopped the stream into Greece by coming to a 'sort of' agreement with unpopular Turkey. It's about time they did the same with the Libyan factions.

Parts of the Libyan coast were always pretty open in the west of the country and this "business" was going on long before Ghaddafi went. Italy has had this problem for years, mainly via their island of Lampedusa, not far from Libya and Tunisia. This is about people smuggling of economic migrants, rather than refugees in the true sense of the words, and these people either need a sponsor, or quite a fair amount of their own money, to pay for their journeys from all over the northern half of Africa. "Business" is now booming after being encouraged by lunatics like Merkel and the new crowd of people smugglers. 

Edited July 1, 2017 by nauseus

[metisdead]

An off topic post about migration to Australia has been removed as well as the replies. 

[khunken]

1 hour ago, nauseus said:

Parts of the Libyan coast were always pretty open in the west of the country and this "business" was going on long before Ghaddafi went. Italy has had this problem for years, mainly via their island of Lampedusa, not far from Libya and Tunisia. This is about people smuggling of economic migrants, rather than refugees in the true sense of the words, and these people either need a sponsor, or quite a fair amount of their own money, to pay for their journeys from all over the northern half of Africa. "Business" is now booming after being encouraged by lunatics like Merkel and the new crowd of people smugglers. 

Less than a half-truth.

 

Yes, there was a moderate flow of immigrants arriving in Lampedusa before the bombing of Libya, up to 2008 with around 10-12,000 per year on average. This was virtually stopped in 2009 (with a bilateral agreement between Italy & Libya) when only a few hundred arrived. Italy coped with this with assistance from the WHO & others.

In 2011 the floodgates opened with the rebellion in Tunisia and the NATO attack on Libya. The immigrants are not just economic migrants but a mix of those and refugees fleeing from violence & destruction in Libya, Tunisia, Eritria & Somalia. The numbers swelled to an estimated 400,000 in 2011.

Merkel & some others made great efforts to help Italy with the inflow that it could not cope with. I applaud her & roundly condemn those that caused the carnage in Libya & the other countries. The governments can take some blame but it was the NATO liars that were the perpetrators of opening the N African floodgates.

Some reading for anyone who looks for the truth:

http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/182137/e96761.pdf

[nauseus]

2 hours ago, khunken said:

Merkel & some others made great efforts to help Italy with the inflow that it could not cope with. I applaud her & roundly condemn those that caused the carnage in Libya & the other countries. The governments can take some blame but it was the NATO liars that were the perpetrators of opening the N African floodgates.

Some reading for anyone who looks for the truth:

This is less than a half-truth!! Organized smuggling was not stopped.

[khunken]

30 minutes ago, nauseus said:

This is less than a half-truth!! Organized smuggling was not stopped.

I see so you select part of my post & ignore the rest - did you even bother to read the linked article?  I never said that smuggling was stopped (quite the opposite) so your comment is a straw man.

The reason is rather easy for those with open minds to see - most of the smugglers are in north Africa, in areas that are outside (what's left of ) Libyan government control. This is why I said in my original post that the Libyan factions need to be involved in stopping most of the the smuggling.

Edited July 1, 2017 by khunken

[nauseus]

25 minutes ago, khunken said:

I see so you select part of my post & ignore the rest - did you even bother to read the linked article?  I never said that smuggling was stopped (quite the opposite) so your comment is a straw man.

The reason is rather easy for those with open minds to see - most of the smugglers are in north Africa, in areas that are outside (what's left of ) Libyan government control. This is why I said in my original post that the Libyan factions need to be involved in stopping most of the the smuggling.

No straw. I don't need to read the article but I didn't ignore the rest. I have seen these boats and what's inside them. Why would any of the smuggling factions be interested in going out of business? 

[khunken]

2 minutes ago, nauseus said:

No straw. I don't need to read the article but I didn't ignore the rest. I have seen these boats and what's inside them. Why would any of the smuggling factions be interested in going out of business? 

If you're not interested in learning some facts that might be uncomfortable to your warped way of thinking - I'm wasting my time. No more.